Mr And Mrs Claus
by Kalta79
Summary: Little two chapter Christmas story. #Christmas fluff #Implied Romance 1-2-20 Chapter 2 was rewritten so much it'll now be 3 chapters.
1. Chapter 1

"You want me to _what_?" Rude stared at Tifa disbelievingly.

"I can't ask Cloud to do it. Marlene and Denzel would know it's him, but you wear sunglasses all the time. They won't recognize you." Tifa pointed out. She really didn't like asking her one-time enemy for favors, but someone had to play Santa, and she was out of options. Cloud, Barret, Cid, Vincent, there's no way they could successfully pull it off. And she didn't even bother asking Reno, he might have asked for her favor in return, and he was just as physically unique as Vincent in his own way, he'd spoil it too.

"I have to take off my glasses?" Rude almost spit out the scotch she had handed him when he entered her bar. He should have left as soon as he found out the reason for it, but it was **Tifa**, and he was flattered that she chose him to ask a favor from.

"Just for a couple hours." she smiled at him. "Please."

Rude frowned, knowing he couldn't say no to her. "No pictures." he insisted.

"Thank you." Tifa's smile widened, and Rude felt himself unwillingly smile back at her.

"What's wrong with you?" Reno asked his partner as he automatically started takeoff procedures.

"I'm just hoping this won't take too long." Rude replied.

"You've got holiday plans?" Reno was pleasantly surprised. Rude never seemed to embrace the holidays properly.

"None of your business." Rude didn't want Reno to find out what he had let Tifa talk him into. He'd go on about how Rude's love life needed his help.

"Is that so?" Reno gave him an inscrutable look.

Tifa paced back and forth behind her bar three days later, trying to control her anger. She had informed Rude when he was supposed to arrive in time to get into the costume, and he was two hours late! The door suddenly opened and Rude walked stiffly inside. "Sorry I'm late." he told her.

"Just get into your costume, and I'll get into mine." she replied tightly.

"Your costume?" Rude asked.

"Yes, I'm going to be Mrs. Claus, to help you do it right." she informed him. _Oh_. Rude hadn't expected that, but he nodded and took the outfit she handed him. "I'll do your wig and beard when you're done."

"Yes, ma'am." Rude walked slowly to the men's bathroom, and Tifa dismissed it as reluctance on his part, hurrying to the women's bathroom to change into her own outfit.

"Are you done?" Tifa called through the men's door a few minutes later.

"Coming." Rude said, and exited the bathroom, still moving leisurely. He blinked when Tifa took his sunglasses off. "You did a good job." he said, noticing that she was still attractive, even dressed up as an old woman.

"Thanks." Tifa replied distractedly. "Now we've got to finish you." She held up the wig and beard, and a few tense moments ensue as she struggles with him to get the wig and beard arranged to her satisfaction. She was also distracted by seeing his eyes for the first time, she didn't expect them to be so…

"Are you done yet?" Rude asked testily.

"Yes." Tifa was grateful for the interruption to her thoughts, sure she was blushing. "Let's get this over with."


	2. Chapter 2

"Denzel, wake up!" Marlene said, shaking her foster brother's shoulder. "I can't find Tifa and I heard a strange sound downstairs."

"What sound?" Denzel sleepily asked, his grumpy tone almost echoing Rude's. Then he heard strange sounds as well, followed by the sound of the front door opening.

"Maybe it's Santa. I did leave milk and cookies out for him like Tifa said to." Marlene said.

"There's no such thing as Santa." Denzel told her snidely, to cover the pang he felt at her excitement. This would be his first Christmas without his parents, and even though he had a new family, it wasn't quite the same.

"You don't know more than Tifa." Marlene fired back. She was used to his occasional attitude, and sometimes she wondered which of them was better off. What were her birth parents really like?

"Ho ho ho!" Rude said in a normal voice as he entered the apartment.

"Louder!" Tifa hissed, elbowing him. This was Denzel's first Christmas with them, and she wanted it to be special.

Rude winced briefly before sighing in resignation. "HO HO HO!" This time his voice boomed throughout the apartment. "Well, someone left cookies and milk out for me. Are there any good children here who are waiting for Santa Claus?" he called out.

"SANTA!" Marlene exclaimed as she ran out into the living room, stopping when she saw the tall Santa. Mrs. Claus looked comfortingly familiar, but Marlene was more interested in Santa. She had always wanted to see him deliver presents, but never had the chance, and she always wondered how he did it. Tifa would just smile at her questions and say it was a secret. The big bells on the lumpy sack he was holding must have been what made the noise that woke her up. "I've been good!" she blurted out.

"Well, you must be Marlene, then." Rude reached into the sack and pulled out two beautifully wrapped presents for her.

"Thank you!" she squealed. "Can I open them now?"

"Of course." Rude said after seeing Tifa nod. "And what about you, young man? Have you been good?" he asked Denzel, who had taken his time joining them.

"Yeah, I guess." Denzel muttered. He saw Mrs. Claus frown when he spoke so unenthusiastically, and it was just like how Tifa responded to his bad manners. Realizing she was trying so hard for them did make him feel better. "I mean, I hope so." Denzel stepped closer to them, trying to figure out who Santa was. He couldn't remember who had amber eyes like that.

"All I have left is this for a Denzel." Rude pulled out a long skinny present.

"That's me." he said, examining it as he took hold of it. The present wasn't light, but it wasn't too heavy either.

"Open it!" Marlene demanded, eager to see what it was as well. She was thrilled with her junior boxing gloves and party dress, both the same shade of pink as Aerith's hair ribbon. Tifa had promised to teach her self-defense, now she had the proper tools.

"Yes, boss." Denzel took the wrapping paper off, only to be confronted with a wooden box that was latched closed. There was a card attached to the latch, telling him he could only use it under adult supervision. Opening it, he blinked as he stared at the training sword.

"Oooh, that's nice. Is Cloud going to teach you how to use it?" Marlene asked.

"I know how to use it!" Denzel puffed up his chest as he tried to act superior. "I've watched Cloud lots of times. Watch this!" Before anyone could stop him, he tried to knock the hat off Rude and hit him in the head by mistake.


End file.
